The US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, announced an additional $404 million in new aid to Palestinians while attending the “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza” Conference in Jordan on Tuesday.
Blinken clarified that the $404 million in new aid is in addition to the “more than $1.8 billion in development, economic, and humanitarian aid that the United States has provided since 2021.”
He emphasized that this makes the United States the largest single-country provider of assistance for Palestinians.
Blinken emphasized in his speech that the only barrier to the release of hostages and the ceasefire deal is Hamas. He then urged Arab leaders in the audience to apply pressure on Hamas to agree to the proposed deal.
Blinken underscored that Israel is combating a war against an adversary that operates from schools, hospitals, and camps where displaced families seek refuge. He described this enemy as cynically using civilians as shields.